William Osler’s historical scholarship:a contradiction in terms?

摘要

Summary: For many it is difficult to grasp, let alone understand in any depth, thenabundant nature of William Osler’s (1849–1919) influence. Although knowing his namenas a distinguished physician, few have more than a scant appreciation of his manifoldncontributions to medicine, and his example as the physician/historian and medicalnhumanist par excellence. This essay considers Osler’s scholarship as evidenced in hisnhistorical and biographical writings, and some lessons that we might learn from hisnendeavours.